


of chicken flautas and intimidating mothers

by Bellakitse



Series: 30 days of Tarlos [7]
Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Meeting the Parents, Romance, Soft boys are soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:20:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24597406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bellakitse/pseuds/Bellakitse
Summary: “I know we saw each other just last night, but I already missed you.”Carlos' heart flutters at TK’s words and touch, but he can’t forget the tiny force to be reckoned with, not forty feet away. “That’s really sweet, and I feel exactly the same way,” he continues. “But my mom is here, and she’s watching us –no, don’t look around!”*It’s the annual first responders’ cookout and Carlos is about to introduce his boyfriend to his mother.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Series: 30 days of Tarlos [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1769356
Comments: 35
Kudos: 509





	of chicken flautas and intimidating mothers

**Author's Note:**

> 30 days of Tarlos - Day 7

It’s the annual first responders’ cookout. Every year at the start of summer, every available Austin Police, Fire and EMS gathers at Zilker Park for a barbecue as a way to bond with the community, and every year since he joined the force – whether he’s free to attend or _not_ – his mother Carlota has been there with enough food to feed an army.

Carlos can’t deny the pride he feels from having his mother always participate; everyone loves to comment on her incredible cooking. There truly isn’t anything more adorable than his tiny mother smiling happily as people eat and enjoy her food. This year he’s lucky enough not to have a shift while the cookout is happening and gets to attend much to his mother’s delight. She’s happy to have an extra pair of hands to help serve.

He’s in the middle of doing just that, handing a sweet little girl and her mother a plate when he spots the 126 firehouse making their way across the grassy field towards him and the tables of food. He starts to smile, remembering how sad TK had been the night before because he had a shift, and wouldn’t have the chance to stop by and check out the cookout after he, Judd, and Mateo had talked the event up so much.

“Hey!” he shouts out happily as the crew gets closer. “I thought you guys couldn’t come today?” he asks, taking in the fact that they’re in their uniforms.

TK comes around to his side and wraps an arm around his waist, hugging him close. Carlos returns the embrace, shivering slightly when TK uses the moment to brush his lips softly right under his ear.

“Hi,” TK whispers, giving him an extra squeeze. It’s been four weeks since the solar flares, and Carlos is still basking in the change in his and TK’s relationship – in actually _being_ in a relationship with the young firefighter. He’d known TK was sweet since their first kiss, it’s what had driven him crazy from the start, how underneath all that passion was a gentleness to TK that not only made him crave more, it also made him want to protect TK at all costs.

“Hi, cariño,” he whispers back, enjoying the way it makes TK turn a little pink. He stares at TK, quickly getting lost in his green eyes and gentle smile. He reaches out and takes TK’s hand; the same thrill he feels at being this public with him makes his stomach flutter.

“Are you two just going to keep staring at each other like lovesick teenagers?” Judd interrupts their staring, and when Carlos turns towards him, he finds the other man giving them an unimpressed look, while the rest of TK’s crew members smirk in their direction. “Cause we’re hungry,” Judd continues. “And cap said we could only stay until our next call. That can be any second, and you two have proven that you can stare into each other’s eyes for eternity.”

“ _Judd,”_ TK hisses at his friend, his face turning red, it’s probably almost as red as his feels.

“Yeah – ah – sorry,” he mutters, still hot behind his ears. “Please, grab a plate, there’s so much food. Everyone really outdid themselves this year,” he continues, waving at the four picnic tables they pushed together to put all the food on. There’s a little of everything, barbecue, more sides than they knew what to do with, fruit and a whole table just for desserts.

“Carlos, man,” Mateo starts, his plate is already half-full as he grabs some potato salad. Marjan and Paul each are grabbing some roasted veggies. “Please tell me we didn’t miss your mom’s chicken flautas.”

Carlos lets out a laugh at the younger guy’s pleading face and the way Judd perks up at the mention of his mom’s flautas. They’re legendary at the cookout. He doesn’t say anything for a moment, letting them sweat it out before he uncovers a platter full of them.

“Yes!” Mateo shouts excitedly, while Judd is already leaning over to grab one. “Marjan, Paul, you guys have to try these. Carlos’ mom is a cooking goddess.”

Carlos rolls his eyes at the comment, it’s true, but it’s comments like this that make his mother so smug. He’s not done thinking that, when he feels eyes on him. Doing a quick scan of the park, he’s not surprised at all to find his mother, a few feet away sitting under a tree watching him. When their eyes meet, she raises an eyebrow at him, her gaze going down to his and TK’s linked hands and then back up to his face. His stomach drops, and he feels like a teenager again, getting caught with his first boyfriend, when she crooks her index finger motioning him over.

“Shit,” he swears softly.

“What’s wrong?” TK questions, he’s half-way through a flauta. The rest of his team has walked away to find somewhere to sit and eat. “These are really good by the way.”

“Okay, so I’m really happy you’re here,” he begins, earning another smile from TK.

“Me too,” TK says softly, he leans in and brushes his lips across Carlos’ cheek. “I know we saw each other just last night, but I already missed you.”

Carlos’ heart flutters at TK’s words and touch, but he can’t forget the tiny force to be reckoned with, not forty feet away. “That’s really sweet, and I feel exactly the same way,” he continues. “But my mom is here, and she’s watching us – _no_ , don’t look around!”

TK stops from turning his head, keeping his eyes on him, waiting for him to continue.

“She saw you greeting me and just now signaled for us to join her,” he says quickly, and he can’t deny, nervously.

“Okay,” TK says slowly, and Carlos can hear the hint of nervousness in his own voice. “Okay, well – I mean, I don’t have a problem with meeting your mom; it was bound to happen sooner or later now that we’re dating, right? And besides, you know my dad, and that went fine.”

"Yeah, _but_ – and this isn’t to crap on Captain Strand,” he rushes to say. “He's an impressive guy, but he's not intimidating like a 5' foot no-nonsense Latina mom.”

TK chuckles at his comment, the amusement clear in his eyes. “It’s going to be okay, I promise,” he says as he gives his hand a squeeze. “What do you need from me?”

“Can you keep holding my hand, please?” he asks, getting a soft smile from TK in return.

“Easy,” he says, bringing their linked hands up to his mouth, pressing a kiss over his knuckles. “One of my favorite things to do. Now be a big boy and introduce me to your mother.”

Carlos rolls his eyes at his boyfriend’s teasing, but it loosens the ball of anxiety in the pit of his stomach. It’s not that he doesn’t think that TK and his mother aren’t going to get along. The opposite actually, he’s sure that his mother is going to spend five minutes with TK and then mentally start planning their wedding. It’s just that his mother is one of the most important people in his life, and TK is quickly climbing up that list.

Hand in hand, he and TK cross the distance between them and Carlota Reyes, who is now standing up from her seat, waiting for them with a glint in her eyes that spells trouble for him.

“Mami,” he starts, swallowing hard when she just raises an eyebrow at him. “This is TK Strand, my boyfriend.”

“Nice to meet you, ma’am,” TK says, holding out a hand. His mom stares at TK for a moment before one of the corners of her mouth lifts.

“Carlota Reyes,” she says, finally taking his hand. “Strange, this is the first time I’m hearing about a boyfriend,” she looks over at him, her other brow going up too. “Carlitos?”

“Mami – “ he says again, not being able to hide his wince.

“We only just made it official a couple of weeks ago, Mrs. Reyes,” TK jumps in to save him.

“Hmm,” Carlota makes a sound in the back of her throat that only moms can make as she looks at him up and down. “You’re too skinny, TK,” she says with that glint in her eyes again. “Maybe stop walking out on my son’s dinners, that should help.”

TK snaps his gaze to him, his eyes wide as his face starts to turn pink again, and he wants to reassure him, but he’s too busy staring at his mother in disbelief.

“How did you know about that?” he asks, rearing back when his mother rolls her eyes at him.

“You and your sisters like to think I’m deaf,” she says, pursing her lips. “You told them about the failed dinner when you came home and asked me to sew the buttons on your nice blue shirt.”

Carlota looks at TK again. “Your doing, I presume.”

“I – ah,” TK stammers, and Carlos can’t help the whine that escapes his throat.

“Mami, por favor, para de asustarlo,” he says, begging his mother to stop scaring TK.

Carlota narrows her eyes for a moment, making TK squeeze his hand tight before she finally lets out a chuckle.

“You never let me have any fun, mijo,” she scowls playfully at him. She turns towards TK, now more welcoming.

“It’s very nice to meet you, TK,” she says with a grin. “I would apologize for teasing you and my son, but I would be lying, it was a lot of fun, and I’m not sorry.”

TK looks over at him helplessly in the face of his mother’s amusement, but all he can do is shake his head.

“But I wasn’t lying about you being skinny,” she continues easily. “Come on, I’ll fix you a nice big plate of food,” she says before walking away back towards the tables, expecting them to follow.

They watch her go in silence for a moment before TK lets out a deep breath.

“ _Okay_ , you were right,” he says, still looking in his mom’s direction. “She is _definitely_ more intimidating than my dad.”

Carlos lets out a laugh, and with the hand holding TK’s, he pulls him closer until he’s pressed at his side. “You did well against her.”

“Nope, not yet,” TK shakes his head. “But I will. Before this cookout is over, I’m going to make sure she loves me, you’ll see.”

Carlos grins against TK’s temple after pressing a kiss against it. They start to make their way toward his mother, who is watching them with a smile on her face. “She won’t be the first Reyes to fall head over heels for you.”

TK stops in his tracks, looking at him shyly. “Yeah?” he asks, hopeful.

“Yeah, baby,” he answers, the smile he gets in return fills every inch of him with warmth.

“Well then,” TK starts, smile firmly in place. “I still want to win her over, she’s your mom after all, but knowing that I already won over the most important Reyes,” he says, tapping a finger over Carlos’ heart. “That’s already good enough for me.”

**Author's Note:**

> [tumblr](https://bellakitse.tumblr.com/)


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